Remarks at a White House Dinner for the Bipartisan Congressional Leadership

January 25, 1982

This just proves what I've always said after a thousand banquets: There's nothing louder in a
banquet room than a spoon on a glass.

I just wanted to say -- no speeches or anything -- just a word of welcome here to you. You are
now back. Those of us who have been holding down the fort here, keeping the country running,
are glad to have you back again.

There's been a certain amount of caustic criticism of me over supposed inaccuracies. And I was
just saying to Speaker Rayburn here -- [laughter] -- --

Now that we're back, there's been a lot to talk about whether we're going to take up the social
issues. Anytime you want to talk about new silver for the White House -- [laughter] -- --

Seriously, it does seem that this might be a nice thing for us to get together here -- before we all
really settle down to the year's work that's ahead of us -- and break bread together. And I'm
delighted to have you here and welcome you all. I know that we're going to be -- hard as it is to
believe tonight -- we might find ourselves at times in disagreement during the year ahead. And I
know that that might occasionally happen, and I just hope we'll be able to do that without being
disagreeable.

So, welcome, and thank you all for coming.

Note: The President spoke at 9 p.m. in the Blue Room at the White House, at the dinner marking
the return of the Senators and Representatives for the Second Session of the 97th Congress.

In his remarks, the President referred to former Speaker of the House of Representatives Sam
Rayburn.